Data from: A forebrain hub for cautious actions via the midbrain

Adaptive goal-directed behavior requires dynamic coordination of movement,
motivation, and environmental cues. Among these, cautious actions, where
animals adjust their behavior in anticipation of predictable threats, are
essential for survival. Yet, their underlying neural mechanisms remain
less well understood than those of appetitive behaviors, where caution
plays little role. Using calcium imaging in freely moving mice we show
that glutamatergic neurons in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) are robustly
engaged by contraversive movement during cue-evoked avoidance and
exploratory behavior. Model-based analyses controlling for movement and
other covariates revealed that STN neurons additionally encode salient
sensory cues, punished errors, and especially cautious responding, where
their activity anticipates avoidance actions. Targeted lesions and
optogenetic manipulations reveal that STN projections to the midbrain are
necessary for executing cued avoidance. These findings identify a critical
role for the STN in orchestrating adaptive goal-directed behavior by
integrating sensory, motor, and punitive signals to guide timely, cautious
actions via its midbrain projections.